The 21st of September 1327 AD, Edward II killed at Berkeley Castle Edward II killed at Berkeley Castle Berkeley , Gloucestershire The 21st of September 1327 AD The inglorious reign of Edward II drew to an end in 1326. The people had suffered famine under his rule during a period of extreme weather conditions. The church had been ill-treated and seen possessions and treasures grabbed by Edwardï¿½s favourites. Scotland had been lost to the English for centuries to come; lands in Gascony were taken from him. Edward was not overwhelmed with support. So it was that the small invasion force of his own wife Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer grew apace as it progressed through the country, and Edward failed to rally any great nobles to his side to resist it. Edward fled to South Wales with his favourite (and possibly lover) Despencer, but on November 16 1326 they were caught in open country and captured by Henry of Lancaster. Despencer was soon tried and executed, after having his body engraved with biblical verses by the mob.

Hanged then drawn and quartered like a common thief, he also suffered castration, probably as a brutal reaction to his presumed homosexuality. Edward was taken to Kenilworth Castle , where according to some accounts he was well treated. But the king was forced to abdicate, presented with a litany of his supposed crimes and failures, and also with an option: abdicate and see his son crowned in his place; or be deposed in favour of Roger de Mortimer. He chose the former, abdicating on January 20 1327, a decision made formal by Parliament a week later. The ex-king alive was an embarrassment to those who had dethroned him. On April 3 1327 he was moved to Berkeley Castle , where his treatment was aimed at breaking him without actual violence. He was deprived of light, fed badly, kept in appalling conditions, and his sleep was interrupted regularly. But Edward was an athlete, and had a strong will to live for all his ineffectiveness as a ruler. After one briefly successful attempt to free him, and possibly another had been discovered before it could be carried out, the need to remove the ex-king became more urgent.

Roger Mortimer sent William Ockle and Thomas Gourney to Berkeley Castle to do the deed, Thomas de Berkeley conveniently absenting himself, an action that saved him from retribution in later years. The most probable cause of Edwardï¿½s death on September 21 1327 was either strangulation or smothering - quick, clean and leaving no visible signs of violence. But the more often quoted means of his destruction is far more brutal and agonising. Legend has it that the king was held down in his cell beneath either a table or a mattress, a horn inserted in his anus and pushed deep into his body, then a red-hot poker or copper rod inserted through the horn ï¿½ preventing any signs of burning on the exterior of the body ï¿½ and manoeuvred until his internal burns killed him, or possibly he died of shock. This legend has Edwardï¿½s screams heard for miles around, hardly a clever course of action for those wanting to claim as they did that Edward had died a natural death. As with Despencerï¿½s castration, there is definitely a reaction to Edwardï¿½s supposed sexual liaisons with Gaveston and Despencer in this version.

There is a third possibility concerning Edwardï¿½s death at Berkeley, namely that it didnï¿½t happen. There are several sources leading historians to believe he fled to Ireland, or Italy, or even just faded into obscurity, one of them backed with the so-called Fieschi letter, published in 1872 and written by the Bishop of Vicelli, Manuele de Fieschi, chronicling Edwardï¿½s movements through Europe until Fieschi met him in Milan years after his purported demise. Given the risks to Isabella and Mortimer of Edward surviving, logic dictates he died at Berkeley Castle. How he died is unclear and will remain so, although it is said his ghost haunts this most atmospheric of castles during the month of September. Conor Byrne: 21 September 1327: The Death of Edward II? 21 September 1327: The Death of Edward II? Above: Edward II's tomb effigy at Gloucester Cathedral. Edward II, king of England from 1307, allegedly died at Berkeley Castle twenty years later, on 21 September 1327. As biographer Harold F.

Hutchinson explains in his 1971 study of the king: 'The true story of the manner of Edward's death can never be known for certain'. The former king had been deposed in January 1327 and succeeded by his fourteen-year old son Edward, known as Edward III. His father's reign had, in the words of Natalie Fryde, been 'disastrous'. Edward's wife, Isabella of France, had invaded the country in September 1326 having initially departed to be involved in peace negotiations with the French king. Outraged by the power wielded by her husband's favourites, the Despensers, who had sequestrated her estates and virtually imprisoned herself and her servants, Isabella returned to England alongside her ally - and possibly lover - Roger Mortimer, later earl of March, and a host of supporters. City after city in England supported her, including London, which became her most imposing stronghold.

Edward II was taken to Kenilworth Castle, where the bishop of Hereford demanded that he abdicate, charging the king with, amongst other things, being personally incapable of governing; of allowing himself to be led and governed by others; of devoting himself to unsuitable occupations while neglecting the government of his kingdom; of forfeiting the king of France's friendship, and losing the kingdom of Scotland and lands and lordships in Ireland and Gascony; and of exhibiting pride, cruelty, and covetousness. Edward remained virtually imprisoned at Kenilworth until 2 April 1327, when he was transferred to the custody of Thomas Berkeley and John Maltravers, following a plot led by the Dominican John Stoke to free him. In July, a further conspiracy to release him occurred, and on 14 September, Sir Rhys ap Gruffudd's plot to liberate him was uncovered. A week later, at the parliament at Lincoln, it was announced that the former king had died 'a natural death' at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire.

His corpse was moved to Gloucester for public display a month later, and on 20 December he was buried in St Peter's Abbey, Gloucester, in the presence of his son and his widow. A splendid tomb was erected by Edward III in his father's memory. Above: Berkeley Castle, where Edward II allegedly died in 1327. Historians traditionally accepted that Edward II died at Berkeley Castle on 21 September 1327. Hutchinson, for instance, noted that although a mystery surrounded his end, 'the only fact which seems well established is that Edward of Caernarvon was murdered, if not to the instructions of, at least with the connivance of Mortimer, and probably also of Isabella [Edward's wife]'. But as Natalie Fryde correctly noted in her 1979 study of the last years of his reign, 'if we separate contemporary evidence about his [Edward's] fate from the legend which has accrued around it, we are certainly left with more mystery than certainty'. It is essential to bear in mind this point - legend has replaced concrete historical fact regarding Edward II's end.

An obvious example of this is the lingering popularity of the notion that Edward died by having a red hot poker thrust into his anus, allegedly a gruesome parody of his enjoyment of homosexual sex. The chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker (died c. 1360), reported this, as did the Brut chronicle, composed in the 1340s. But both Ian Mortimer and Kathryn Warner have disputed the 'anal rape' narrative of the king's death, arguing instead that it reflected beliefs that he was the passive partner in male-male sexual relations. There is, in short, no compelling evidence for the red hot poker story. As Hutchinson incredulously noted, Baker 'asks his readers to believe that Edward's murderers were so inept, and the castle walls so thin, that townsfolk outside the castle were able to hear the king's dying shrieks'. He dismisses Baker's claims as being 'lurid fiction'. Above: Gloucester Cathedral, where Edward II may - or may not - be buried. Other contemporary chronicles were more vague. This perhaps arises from the fact that the actual cause of the former king's death was never stated.

Adam Murimuth, writing in the reign of Edward III, vaguely noted that Edward II was 'commonly said' to have been murdered as a precaution on the orders of Maltravers and Gurney. Edward's death has always invited suspicion. As Mark Ormrod notes, it was 'suspiciously timely', leading some historians to argue that the former king was murdered on the orders of the new regime. Kathryn Warner also noted in a blog post that Edward's 'death might have appeared suspiciously convenient for Roger Mortimer and Queen Isabella'. Professor Phillips, who wrote a magisterial account of the king's life, stated that murder was the likeliest fate of Edward II. He noted, however, that the king could have died of natural causes. Phillips dismissed reports of the former king's survival as being 'circumstantial', but noted the mystery about his supposed end. Most historians have agreed that Edward II died at Berkeley Castle on the night of 21 September, perhaps of natural causes, perhaps through murder.

Phillips stated that he may have been suffocated; Roy Haines speculated that the former king had been murdered and stated 'there is little reason to doubt that Edward of Caernarfon's corpse has remained there [at Gloucester Cathedral] undisturbed since December 1327 or thereabouts'; Michael Prestwich opined that Edward II 'almost certainly died at Berkeley'; Mira Rubin concluded that the former king was likely murdered; Joe Burden charged Mortimer with ordering Edward's death; and Chris Given-Wilson explained that Edward II was 'almost certainly' murdered on the night of 21 September, and died in any case. Above: Edward III, who succeeded in 1327 on the abdication of his father. Yet, as Warner recognises, it was only after the downfall of Mortimer and Isabella in 1330 that Edward II was reported to have been murdered, at the parliament at Westminster. Edward III accused Mortimer of 14 heinous offences, including ordering the murder of his father.

Thomas Lord Berkeley, son-in-law of Mortimer and former custodian of Edward II, reported at this parliament that 'he wishes to acquit himself of the death of the same king, and says that he was never an accomplice, a helper or a procurer in his death, nor did he ever know of his death until this present parliament', a sentence that has confused and puzzled historians ever since. Other points of mystery exist. Maltravers was never accused or punished for his role in the former king's death. Berkeley himself was acquitted, as was Shalford. The former king's half-brother, the earl of Kent, conspired in 1330 to free Edward from captivity, writing a letter outlining his intent to release his half-brother with 'the assent of almost all the great lords of England'. William Melton, the archbishop of York, wrote a letter to Simon Swanland, a London merchant, in 1329/30 asking him to co-operate with William Clif in aiding the 'old king' upon his release, specifically describing the delivery of clothes and money to Edward. Moreover, in the nineteenth century the so-called "Fieschi Letter" came to light.

Written by Manuele Fieschi, a papal notary, Canon of York and Nottingham, and Bishop of Vercelli from 1342, the letter reports that Edward II escaped from Berkeley Castle in autumn 1327, making his way to Corfe Castle in Dorset, before departing for Ireland and later to Avignon clothed as a pilgrim. He spent two weeks with the pope, before making his way to Brabant, Cologne and later Italy. Recently, historians have generally tended to validate the letter's contents. Fryde stated: 'it is very difficult to think why Fieschi himself... should have manufactured such a letter'. Ian Mortimer believed it was genuine, and devoted considerable time in his studies of Roger Mortimer and Edward III to explaining his theory that Edward II was not, in fact, murdered at Berkeley Castle, and escaped to Europe. Ian Doherty and Alison Weir also accepted that the letter was genuine, and concluded that Edward did escape to Europe, living out his life as a pilgrim. 'William the Welshman' met Edward III at Koblenz in September 1338, claiming to be the king's father. Edward III spent some time with him.

As Warner relates: 'other royal pretenders of the era definitely did not spend several weeks socialising with the royal personage they were pretending to be, or claiming kinship with'. She later concluded that 'Edward II or not, the whole episode is an oddity'. Above: another unlucky king. Edward II's great-grandson, Richard II, was also deposed in 1399, and probably murdered early the following year. Plainly, there is a wealth of evidence to call into question the traditional notion that Edward II died (probably murdered) on 21 September 1327 at Berkeley Castle. While agreeing with Ian Mortimer that it cannot now be stated with any certainty that the former king's life came to an end in the autumn of that year, less than nine months after his forced abdication, I raised some issues with the survival story. There are nagging questions in my mind that Ian Mortimer, and other revisionist historians, have not sufficiently answered (if they have even considered them in the first place). Firstly: why did Edward III wish to get back in touch with his father, as Mortimer suggests? What did it achieve?

Did he want to see if 'William the Welshman' was merely an imposter, or had he enjoyed a close and intimate relationship with the former king pre-1327 that he wished to continue? Was Edward II content to live as a pilgrim in Europe? Evidence seems to me to compellingly indicate that Edward II firmly believed in the institution of monarchy and was convinced of his right to rule. He was anoited by God, chosen by Him to represent God on earth. Why, then, would he have been content to allow his son to rule? To remove a king unlawfully, which had been the case in 1327 (Edward II only abdicated under duress and coercion), constituted usurpation and a damnable offence in the eyes of God. Ian Mortimer suggested that father and son, reunited in Europe, met and talked with one another. Was there an agreement between them that Edward III would keep his father's identity secret, as long as his father did not make a bid for the English throne? Questions like these are never comprehensively answered.

Berkeley, at the parliament of November 1330, could have been lying in an attempt to save his own skin when he declared that he had never previously heard of Edward II's death. In the medieval context, deposition was usually followed by death. Edward II was the first king to be deposed, but consider later instances: Richard II is believed by historians to have been put to death, or forcibly starved, in 1400 when Henry IV took the throne from him; Henry VI was murdered in 1471, almost certainly on the orders of Edward IV who deposed him; the twelve-year old Edward V was deposed in 1483 and probably murdered, although mystery surrounds his fate and that of his brother; and the deposed Lady Jane Grey, the 'nine-days queen', was executed by her cousin Mary I in 1554. Mortimer and Isabella's regime was notably precarious and unstable, as historians like Fryde recognise. Would they really have been content to allow Edward to live out his days in context of repeated rebellions to release him?

Even if they had nothing to do with his death, his jailers may have considered that putting him to death was the only viable way forward. Or, simply, he may very well have died of natural causes. This article does not seek to refute revisionists' claims that Edward II survived. It is extremely possible that he did, for there is no conclusive evidence that he died, or was murdered, at Berkeley Castle in 1327. But equally, it cannot be stated with certainty that he escaped abroad and lived out the rest of his days in Europe. Whether Edward II, an ill-fated and complex king, met his end at Berkeley in autumn 1327 or not, is a profound and lingering historical mystery that may never be comprehensively solved. Posted by Great Castles - Legends - The Ghost of King Edward II of Berkeley Castle Search The Ghost of King Edward II of Berkeley Castle Located in Gloucestershire England, Berkeley Castle was built in 1153 by William FitzOsbern after Henry II granted permission to construct a castle of stone. Over the centuries, Berkeley Castle served an important role in English history with its Earls participating in many famous wars. The castle was damaged after being battered by Lord Oliver Cromwell.

For approximately 850 years, the castle has been inhabited by the Berkeley Family and resides as the oldest inhabited castle in England. The castle is best known for the royal figure who was imprisoned and murdered there. As Richard Jones tells the story ... "Visitors to the castle can still see a deep dungeon in the old keep, into which were once thrown the rotting carcasses of animals, accompanied every so often, it is said, by the corpses of common people who had offended the powerful Lord Berkeley. The stench rising from this disease-ridden and malodorous pit must have been unbearable, but it also provided an exquisitely horrific way to punish those of noble birth who had incurred the wrath of the Berkeley family. A windowless cell can be seen close by. Here, unfortunate nobles would be locked away, with only the stinking air from the nearby dungeon to breathe. It provided a convenient method by which to dispose of those who could not be seen to have been murdered, since few people could survive long in the dreadful and fetid atmosphere. It was this living hell that Edward II found himself confined in 1327, after he was deposed by his wife, Queen Isabella, and her lover, Roger Mortimer.

It was their intention that a few days in the dreadful chamber would bring about the king’s death. But his constitution surprised them. He did become ill, but he recovered and managed to survive five months in the loathsome cell. Clearly a more direct approach was required, and so the queen instructed Edward’s jailers, Sir John Maltravers and Sir Thomas Gurney, to dispose of her husband as they saw fit. And so on September 21, 1327, Edward II suffered the most horrible death of any British monarch. The two men seized Edward and pinned him face down to the bed, whereupon 'a kind of horn or funnel was thrust into his fundament through which a red-hot spit was run up his bowels'. Such was the king’s agony that his screams are said to have been heard far beyond the castle walls, and have echoed down the centuries on the anniversary of his death ever since." This ghost story was taken from the book "Haunted Castles of Britain and Ireland" by Richard Jones. We would like to thank Richard for graciously allowing us to use his text on Great Castles for some of the ghost stories presented on this site. You can find other stories by Mr.

Jones on his web site, Haunted Britain , or you can buy one of his fantastic books, which he has written over twenty on the paranormal and Jack the Ripper. To order a book directly from Richard himself, click the image of the book to the left. About the Haunted Castles of Britain and Ireland book: Region by region, ghost-seeker Richard Jones reveals, explains and delights in the tales of tortured phantoms eager to restage their dark and turbulent pasts. The cast of characters ranges from ghostly queens that hurl themselves from the ramparts to malevolent monks that wander the corridors. This authoritative and accessible guide to haunted sites is illustrated throughout and includes extracts from original documents. Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle The Fortress that Saw a King's Murder? If you like your castles with a bit of gruesome history, then you won't find many in England that can beat Berkeley Castle. King Edward II, that lover of art, music and Piers Gaveston, was held prisoner here from April to September 1327, when he was murdered by an unknown hand. Apparently, there was no mark on the body and until this day you can listen to conflicting ideas as to how the king met his demise.

Some say that he was smothered, others that he was strangles and yet others that he was murdered with a red hot poker. Nobody knows. But it is thought that the echoes of his dying screams can be heard around the castle's dungeon on the day of his death. And if you want to check this out for yourself, then mark September 21st in your calendar. But a royal murder isn't the castle's only claim to fame. Begun in 1153 on the order of King Henry II to secure the border to Wales and protect the Bristol road, the castle has been a home throughout 850 years, making it the oldest continuously occupied castle in England after the Tower of London and Windsor Castle. And not only that. For over 850 years it's been in the same family. There are not many places in the world that can make such a claim! In fact, there are only three families in England who can trace their ancestry back to Saxon times. Berkeley Castle © David Hughes | fotolia.com This makes Berkeley Castle a remarkable piece of history as family history and very detailed historical records have survived with the house and estate.

But not enough with being a remarkable historical monument, Berkeley looks like a fairytale castle too. It has battlements, trip steps, arrow slits and murder holes, along with beautiful wooden gates and a moat. When under attack, the land below the steep drop of the battlements would have been flooded, leaving the castle unassailable like a ship on a glittering sea. Inside the castle, many generations of builders and home improvers have been at work. There are small towers, large towers, beautiful carved doors and plain doors and windows of every shape and size. The Great Hall is worthy of close inspection, as is the beautifully painted wooden ceiling in the surviving small chapel. And history did not stop here after King Edward's murder, either. Queen Elizabeth I visited and - apparently - played bowls. And if you carry a torch for England's most famous pirate - Francis Drake - then you can stand before his sea chest and wonder what stories it could tell if it could talk.

But one of the greatest changes to the castle happened during England's civil war, when Berkeley was held by the Royalists.It was captured in 1645 by Colonel Thomas Rainsborough for the Parliamentarian side after a siege which saw the castle's walls being breached. And to this date, the breach has never been repaired. With its treasure trove of historical artefacts and its beautiful gardens and deer park, Berkeley Castle makes a wonderful day out. Depending on the day of your visit you may find re-enactors in residence or a concert or play in progress. For information about events, opening times, re-enactments and concerts, please check out The Berkeley Castle website . Visiting Gloucestershire? Where You Could Stay Gloucestershire is a great destination whether you want get-away-from-it-all peace and quiet, vigorous walking, tiny villages, high fashion shopping or a bit of excitement. Throw in Evensong at Gloucester Cathedral, a ruined abbey or two, racing at Cheltenham and some fantastic local food and you're all set for a weekend or a holiday that has something for everyone whether you're a couple in need of romance or a family in need of fun.

Gloucestershire has it's fair share of beautiful apartments and holiday cottages, and here are a couple of ideas where you could stay: The Coach House Gotherington Sleeps 5 To see other holiday cottages in Gloucestershire click here . Or check out holiday cottages in other parts of England by clicking here. What You Could See and Do Explore the regency splendours of Cheltenham, take a walk along the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal or enjoy a long lazy lunch in the very pretty village of Frampton on Severn. Ride on a steam train or watch some horse racing at Cheltenham's famous race course. Visit The Slimbridge Wetland Centre . Explore its connection with Scott of the Antarctic and marvel at the variety of birds it attracts. Spend a day meandering through the Cotswolds lanes. Stop off for ice cream at Lower Slaughter, feed the trout at Bibury, visit the Saxon Church at Duntisbourne Rouse or enjoy the wonderful garden at Hidcote Manor. History of Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire UK Modular Tours 3 Nights, 4 Days Cotswolds, Lake District, Cornwall & Devon, the West Country, Wales, Scotland...

plus London by the day. Click for details. History of Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire by John Timbs B E R K E L E Y C A S T L E Where King Edward II was Murdered On the south-east side of the town of Berkeley, in Gloucestershire, stands this perfect specimen of Norman castrametation, noted in history as the scene of the murder of one of our Kings, under circumstances of great atrocity. It is in complete repair and not ruinous in any part. It is not ascertained at what date this building was commenced, but about the year 1150, it was granted by Henry II to Robert FitzHardinge, Governor of Bristol (who was descended from the Kings of Demnark), with power to strengthen and enlarge it. Maurice, the son of Robert, was the first of the FitzHardinges that dwelt at Berkeley, of which place he assumed the name, and fortified the Castle, which is placed on an eminence close to the town and commands an extensive view of the Severn and the neighbouring country.

The fortress is an irregular pile, consisting of a keep and various embattled buildings, which surround a court, about 140 yards in circumference. The chief ornament of this court is the exterior of the baronial hall, which is a noble room in excellent preservation ; adjoining it is the chapel. The apartments are very numerous but, except where modem windows have been substituted, they are mostly of a gloomy character. In one of them are the ebony bedstead and chairs used by Sir Francis Drake in his voyage round the world. The entrance to the outer court is under a machicolated gatehouse, which is all that remains of the buildings that are said to have formerly surrounded the outer court. The keep is nearly circular, having one square tower and three semicircular ones. That on the north, which is the highest part of the Castle, was rebuilt in the reign of Edward II and is called 'Thorpe's Tower': a family of that name holding their manor by the tenure of Castle Guard, it being their duty to guard this tower when required. In another of the towers of the keep is a dungeon chamber, twenty-eight feet deep, without light or an aperture of any kind, except at the top.

In shape it resembles the letter D and the entrance to it is through a trap-door in the floor of the room over it; but, from being in the keep, which is high above the natural ground, this gloomy abode is quite free from damp. The Roman method of filling the inner part or medium of the walls with fluid mortar, occurs in the keep of this Castle. The great staircase leading to the keep is composed of large stones and, on the right of it approached by a kind of gallery, is the room in which, from its great strength, and its isolated situation, there is every reason to suppose that Edward II was murdered, on the 21st September 1327. It is a small and gloomy apartment, and till within the last century was only lighted by fleches. It is stated, by Holinshed, that the shrieks of the King were heard in the town of Berkeley; but from the situation of the Castle, and the great thickness of its walls, that is impossible. After his decease his heart was enclosed in a silver vessel and the Berkeley family formed part of the procession which attended the body to Gloucester, where it was interred in the Cathedral.

The then Lord Berkeley was acquitted of any active participation in the measures which caused the death of the King; but shortly afterwards he entertained Queen Isabella and her paramour, Mortimer, at the Castle. This Lord Berkeley kept twelve knights to wait upon his person, each of whom was attended by two servants and a page. He had twenty-four esquires, each having an under-servant and a horse. His entire family consisted of about 300 persons, besides husbandmen, who fed at his board. In this Castle, Royal visitors have been several times entertained. After its having been a place of rendezvous for the rebellious Barons, in the reign of John, that King visited it in the last year of his reign. Henry III was there twice. The other Royal visitors have been Margaret, Queen of Henry VI; Henry VII; Queen Elizabeth, whose name one of the rooms still bears; George IV, when Prince of Wales; and William IV, when Duke of Clarence. In the reign of Henry V, a lawsuit was commenced between Lord Berkeley and his cousin, the heiress of the family, which was continued 192 years. During which contest the plaintiff's party several times laid siege to the Castle.

In the Civil Wars of Charles I, the Castle was garrisoned on the side of the King and kept all the surrounding country in awe. It was afterwards besieged, however, by the army of the Commonwealth and surrendered after a defence of nine days. In the west door of the church are several bullet-holes which are supposed to have been made by the besieging army. On the north of the Castle is a very perfect portion of the ancient fosse, which is now quite dry, and some very fine elms and other trees are growing in it. A terrace goes nearly round the Castle and, to the west of it, is a large bowling-green, bounded by a line of very old yew-trees which have grown together into a continuous mass and are cut into grotesque shapes. In a Topographical Excursion, in 1624, Berkeley Castle is described as strong, old, spacious and habitable, with a fair park adjoining. Before the tourists entered the inner court, they passed through three large, strong gates with portcullises.

"Here," say they, "was the dismal place where that unfortunate Prince, whom we left interred at the last visited Cathedral, was most barbarously and cruelly deprived of his life." The King, during his captivity here, composed a dolorous poem from which the following is an extract: "Most blessed Jesu, Grant I may the sue, In all humility. Send thou for our good, Lest to shed thy blood, And stretch the upon the rood, For our iniquity. BBC - History - Edward II z Edward II © Edward was a king of England whose reign was marked by conflict with the nobles until he was eventually overthrown by his wife in favour of his son. Edward was born on 25 April 1284, the fourth son of Edward I of England. He was the first English prince to hold the title prince of Wales, which was bestowed on him by his father in 1301. Edward I died in July 1307 and, his three elder brothers having pre-deceased him, Edward became king. He immediately recalled his favourite, Piers Gaveston from exile - Edward I had banished him to France for his bad influence on his son.

Gaveston was given the earldom of Cornwall, previously a title conferred on royalty. Opposition to the king and his favourite began almost immediately, and in 1311 the nobles issued the 'Ordinances', which attempted to limit royal control of finance and appointments. Gaveston was twice exiled at the demand of the barons, only to return to England shortly afterwards. In 1312, he was captured and executed by the barons. In 1314, Edward invaded Scotland, only to be decisively defeated by Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn. Power was now in the hands of the barons headed by Edward's cousin Thomas of Lancaster, who by 1315 had made himself the real ruler of England. Yet Lancaster did little to initiate reform and parts of the country collapsed into anarchy. By 1318, Edward and Lancaster had been partly reconciled, but the king had two new favourites, Hugh le Despenser and his son. When Edward supported the two Despensers' ambitions in Wales, a group of barons banished both father and son, prompting Edward to fight back.

He defeated Lancaster - who had appealed to the Scots for help - at Boroughbridge in March 1322, executing him and recalling the Despensers, with whom he now ruled. Edward's wife, Isabella of France, now emerged as a focus of opposition. In 1325, she was sent on a diplomatic mission to France where she met and became the mistress of Roger Mortimer, an exiled opponent of Edward. In September 1326, they invaded England. There was virtually no resistance and the Despensers were captured and executed. Edward was deposed in favour of his and Isabella's son, who was crowned Edward III in January 1327. Edward II was imprisoned at Berkeley Castle and murdered there. Berkeley Castle | Behind The Curtain Behind The Curtain Conspiracy fiction author C.R. Berry presents weekly blogs about history's biggest secrets, mysteries and conspiracy theories, and exclusive news about his forthcoming trilogy "Million Eyes" Menu / C.R. Berry / Leave a comment Edward II – an ill-fated king The death of King Edward II during his imprisonment at Berkeley Castle in 1327 is shrouded in mystery.

Nobody knows for certain whether he died of natural causes, was murdered on the orders of his wife, or in fact swapped his clothes with a servant and escaped… It’s an understatement to say that Edward II had a pretty rough time as king of England. Unsuccessful military campaigns. Uprisings and civil wars. And after years of making enemies all over the country because of his controversial relationship with the unpopular Piers Gaveston, and later the hated Despenser family, he fell out of favour with his own wife – the French king’s sister, Isabella. In 1326, Queen Isabella turned against Edward, gathered an army and kicked him off the throne. As a result, Edward II became the first English monarch to be deposed. Depending on what you believe, it’s possible he then suffered a very gruesome death by having a red-hot poker shoved up his anus – on Isabella’s orders. She sounds like a woman you wouldn’t want to mess with. Queen Isabella – the ‘She-Wolf of France’ Isabella had a deep dislike for Edward’s close friend and adviser, the very rich and influential Hugh Despenser the Younger.

Some people say he was the real ruler of England because of how much he dominated Edward. She was also embarrassed by Edward’s unsuccessful military campaigns in Scotland and considered him an incompetent king. Finally, because of rising tensions with the French, Edward and Hugh had decided in 1324 to confiscate Isabella’s lands and place her youngest children into the custody of the Despenser family. That was the straw that broke the camel’s back. In 1325, Isabella went to France to negotiate a peace treaty with the French king on Edward II’s behalf. After negotiations completed, she decided not to return to England and plotted against Edward instead. She became involved with an exiled lord, Roger Mortimer, and the two of them hatched a plan to remove Edward II and the Despensers from power. Queen Isabella and her forces In 1326, Isabella and Mortimer gathered an army and invaded England. Edward was pretty unpopular by this point, largely because people hated the Despensers, and many rose up against Edward in support of Isabella, forcing the king to flee London.

Eventually Edward was captured and imprisoned by Isabella’s forces, and she and Mortimer became the de facto rulers of England. Was Edward murdered with a red-hot poker? In January 1327, Edward II was forced to abdicate. His young son was crowned Edward III, with Isabella as queen regent. Edward II was moved to the more secure location of Berkeley Castle. What happened after this is still a massive source of debate. On 23rd September 1327, Isabella and Edward III were informed by messenger that Edward II had died at Berkeley Castle because of a ‘fatal accident’ – which is the information that was given to Parliament. Nobody is clear on the nature of this accident or what is said to have happened. Others say he died from ill-health and depression brought on by his captivity. But the most popular view is that he was murdered on the orders of Isabella and Mortimer. There is a legend that the two of them plotted to murder him in such a way that they could deny any wrongdoing.

Allegedly, they sent a famous order, “Eduardum occidere nolite timere bonum est”, which – depending where you place the comma – could be read as “Do not be afraid to kill Edward; it is good”, or “Do not kill Edward; it is good to fear”. The evidence is minimal, but the likelihood that most historians subscribe to is that Isabella and Mortimer did have Edward killed, because of concerns over plots to liberate him. How they murdered him is also up for debate. Some say he was suffocated or strangled. But a sordid legend has it that a group of men held the king down, pushed a horn into his anus, and then inserted a red-hot poker to burn out all of his internal organs. It was a method of execution that would leave no visible marks on the body. However, most historians now agree that the red-hot poker story was just medieval propaganda – possibly inspired by Edward’s rumoured homosexuality. It seems we’ll never know how Edward II died… But maybe Edward didn’t die at Berkeley at all… There is a minority view that in fact Edward II escaped Berkeley Castle and carried on his life in exile in Europe.

This theory comes from the ‘Fieschi Letter’ – an undated letter written by priest Manuele Fieschi to Edward III, a copy of which was first discovered in 1877 in Montpellier. The letter says that when Edward II heard that he was to be murdered at Berkeley Castle, he swapped clothes with a servant and escaped by killing the gatekeeper. Berkeley Castle – where Edward II was imprisoned and (possibly) murdered The question is, who did they bury at Gloucester Cathedral if it wasn’t Edward II? Some say that it was either the gatekeeper – and Isabella knew her husband had escaped – or it was the servant, killed by Isabella’s assassins. The Fieschi Letter goes on to state that Edward fled to Corfe Castle in Dorset, then travelled to Ireland, France and eventually settled in Italy, where he spent the rest of his days as a hermit. Supporters of the Fieschi Letter point to royal accounts that mention Edward III’s meeting with ‘William the Welshman’ whilst in Germany – a man who claimed to be Edward II. No further details about ‘William the Welshman’ are known.

Other documents detail how Edmund, the Earl of Kent, was executed for plotting to liberate Edward II from Corfe Castle – three years after his apparent death. In addition, evidence that it was actually the king’s body buried at Gloucester Cathedral is a bit shoddy. For the first time, a wooden effigy of the king was carried through the streets instead of his body. Furthermore, the body was embalmed before it was viewed (from a distance) by local dignitaries, which possibly made it unrecognisable. Do I smell a cover-up? One that maybe even Edward III was in on, or knew about? It certainly seems quite fanciful that Edward II escaped and survived in the way the letter tells it – and the letter’s motives are doubted by historians. However, the evidence for all accounts of what happened to Edward II is inadequate. We don’t even have a cause of death, just a number of wildly different theories. So perhaps Edward II was more resourceful than Isabella thought… Next week: Who killed Jill Dando? Sources: King Edward II’s Death – Hot Poker?

| Times Higher Education Share on linkedin For centuries, it has been believed that King Edward II met his end in Berkeley Castle in 13. Having been captured by an army led by his queen, Isabella, and her lover, Sir Roger Mortimer, he was forced to abdicate in favour of his underage son, Edward III. He was then imprisoned and, according to those chroniclers most biased against his usurpers, was then subjected to a series of torments, including being starved and thrown into a pit full of rotting corpses. But it was the final torture that made Edward II’s death arguably the most famous in English royal history: a group of men pinned the deposed king beneath a mattress or table, pushed a horn into his anus, and then inserted a red-hot poker that burned out his internal organs. This grisly execution was supposedly devised to leave no visible mark on the body. Although many historians have long suspected that the red-hot poker story was just medieval propaganda, most agreed that Edward II was indeed murdered in 13.

As a result, the death has a rare status in British history: part of the nation’s consciousness of its bloody heritage and a landmark date in works ranging from the Handbook of British Chronology to the tourist guidebooks to both Berkeley Castle and Gloucester Cathedral, where Edward II is buried. This creates huge problems for the historian who discovers that the murder simply did not happen: Edward II did not die in Berkeley Castle. That no newly discovered documents or recent forensic tests underpin this claim only increases the difficulties he faces. To challenge popular belief on such grounds is by no means unprecedented, but to challenge the consensus of academic opinion in this way is hardly imaginable. In fact, the idea that Edward II was not murdered was first mooted in 1877 when a French archivist published the text of a copy of an undated letter purporting to be from a papal notary, Manuele de Fieschi, to Edward III. This reported how the young king’s father had “escaped” from Berkeley Castle and, via Ireland, France and Germany, arrived in Lombardy. The great historians William Stubbs and Thomas Frederick Tout, writing in 1883 and 1919 respectively, could neither believe nor explain the text.

Years later, though, Pierre Chaplais pointed out that royal accounts dated 1338-39 refer to a “William the Welshman”, who claimed with impunity to be Edward II in the presence of Edward III at Cologne and Antwerp. Other documents were published suggesting Edward II’s survival, including the judgment on his half-brother, the Earl of Kent, who was executed in March 1330 for trying to effect Edward’s release from Corfe Castle, even though the deposed king had supposedly been dead for three years. Against such evidence stood the chronicle reports stating that Edward II had died in Berkeley Castle. More important, a number of Edward III’s own statements attest to the murder, including records of the prosecution of the supposed murderers in the Parliamentary Rolls. The case seemed rock-solid. But recently, the evidence has been reconsidered from the point of view of the supposed murderers, and an entirely different picture of Edward II’s “death” has emerged. The key to understanding what happened is knowing how news of the king’s death spread. A message that Edward II had died on September 21 13 was sent from Berkeley Castle to Edward III in Lincoln.

A public announcement was made after Parliament broke up on September 29, and the news was accepted in good faith. Three weeks later, Lord Berkeley led the funeral cort ge into Gloucester, and the interment took place in late December. But the corpse could have been anybody’s; before leaving the castle, it had been completely covered in waxed cloth and encased within two coffins. As the only chronicler to mention the event put it: the king’s body was exhibited “superficially”. The rule of Lord Mortimer was brought to an end in October 1330. He was hanged after being judged guilty of a long list of crimes, including Edward II’s murder. He was not permitted to say anything to Parliament in his defence. But Lord Berkeley was allowed to speak. In reply to the question of how he intended to acquit himself of complicity in Edward’s murder, Berkeley stated that he “had not heard that the man was dead until coming into this present parliament”. Many scholars have wondered what he meant by this. Perhaps they should have wondered a little harder, for the entire traditional narrative of the murder followed Berkeley’s initial message that the king had died. Yet here he was admitting that he had lied.

Furthermore, the Parliamentary Rolls confirm that Berkeley shared responsibility with Sir John Maltravers for making sure that no harm came to Edward II while in their custody. But Maltravers, who escaped capture in 1330, was never charged with failing in this duty. Edward III cannot have been trying to protect Maltravers as he was sentenced in his absence to a traitor’s death for the lesser crime of being an accessory to the judicial execution of the Earl of Kent. As one of the two men equally liable, it follows that the charges brought against Berkeley were groundless. Edward III was forced to bring fictitious charges against his father’s jailer to support his sentence against Mortimer. Subsequently, all charges against Berkeley were dropped. Faced with a correlation of the perspectives of accuser and accused, one can no longer support the traditional narrative of Edward’s death. Those who wish to do so need to undermine the logic of the arguments concerning Berkeley’s testimony and the failure to charge Maltravers if they wish to continue to participate in the debate. Perhaps most interesting of all, there is no longer any justification for dismissing the Fieschi letter as a forgery, or the accounts of William the Welshman as the antics of an imposter.

Rather, we should question the reliability of the chronicles with regard to the death, on whose misinformation so many have placed much trust for so long. We cannot be certain what happened to Edward II after 1330. If the Fieschi letter is correct - and it seems probable that it broadly outlines the facts of Edward II’s later life as he himself understood them - he was released after the execution of Mortimer. He then travelled to Avignon to see the pope, who persuaded him to give up his attempts to regain the throne. If the revised dating of the Fieschi letter to early 1336 is correct, it would appear that he had settled at a hermitage in Lombardy by the end of 1331. It seems likely that the William the Welshman brought to Edward III at Cologne in 1338 was indeed Edward II; he was with the court at Antwerp just after the birth of Edward III’s second son, Lionel. After this, he disappears from the records. The man who presented William the Welshman to Edward III was paid for some secret business three years later that involved several months abroad, possibly to bring Edward II’s remains back from Italy.

It is almost certain that Edward II’s remains were placed in Gloucester Cathedral before his son made a pilgrimage there in 1343. The importance of this debate is, of course, what it means for those studying Edward III and Mortimer, whose tenure of power may well have relied on his secret custody of Edward II. We will probably not be able to discuss such matters until the controversy of Edward II’s survival has been fully ignited, raged and died down. In the meantime, the challenge to the academic establishment is obvious, as is its responsibility to the public in a matter of national heritage. Ian Mortimer, former library archivist at Exeter University, is now studying for his PhD. His book The Greatest Traitor: The Life of Sir Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, Ruler of England 13-1330 was published last month by Jonathan Cape (£17.99). You've reached your article limit Register to continue Registration is free and only takes a moment.

Once registered you can read a total of 6 articles each month, plus: Sign up for the editor's highlights Receive World University Rankings news first Get job alerts, shortlist jobs and save job searches Participate in reader discussions and post comments Or subscribe for unlimited access to: Digital editions Haunted Isles: Ghost of King Edward II Berkeley Castle Gloucestershire Ghost of King Edward II Berkeley Castle Gloucestershire King Edward II died on this day, 21st September 1327 at Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire. Edward II had been imprisoned in Berkeley Castle having been forced to abdicate the throne in favour of his son Edward III following a rebellion led by his wife Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer. It is unclear as to what sort of conditions Edward II was kept in, written records from the time show luxury goods having been purchased for him. But, legend suggests that he was kept in a windowless cell in Berkeley Castle next to a dungeon where the rotting carcasses of animals, and people, were thrown. Legend also states that he was murdered in the most horrific manner "a red-hot spit was run up his bowels" Edward II's screams are said to still be heard at Berkeley Castle each year on the anniversary of his death.

Image: in the public domain because its copyright has expired.via Wikimedia Commons Other September hauntings:

Question: Which king was murdered at Berkley Castle in September 1327?
Answer: EDWARD II